Scores of people contracted to the government’s Community Work Programme (CWP) staged a peaceful gathering outside the West Rand District Municipality (WRDM) offices in the Randfontein CBD on Tuesday, May 9.
The aim was to air their frustrations regarding working conditions and submit their memorandum of demands.
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Among the demands as tabled by Mohlakeng Ward 16 CWP supervisor Simon Masibi was that CWP workers request a wage increase.
“First thing’s first, we demand a wage increase. We also want our people to be provided with the necessary tools for trade. This includes being provided with lawnmowers and Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) among other crucial items. We also want to be working five days a week instead of the current two days and we want that to be permanent.
“We also request that the municipality take in our members should general work vacancies become available,” said Masibi, who added that top of the agenda is for workers to also be registered under the Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF).
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Meanwhile, newly elected Council Speaker for the West Rand District Municipality (WRDM) Bethuel Munyai accepted their memorandum and committed to getting back to them in due course.
“The challenges you have brought forth are so relevant at this present moment because we are still observing and celebrating workers’ month. It is during this month that we expect workers to stand up for their rights albeit in a peaceful manner just like you have done today. Workers’ rights and unemployment need to be tackled, especially in the West Rand which is a mining town.”
He further iterated that the local economy cannot revolve around the sale of second-hand cars and added that more needs to be done in terms of injecting labour-intensive investments that will see locals being employed.
